


In Error

by lies_d



Category: Silicon Valley (TV)
Genre: F/M, Infidelity, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 23:34:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5605165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lies_d/pseuds/lies_d
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Richard and Jared have an affair.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Error

**Author's Note:**

  * For [joycecarolnotes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/joycecarolnotes/gifts).



> Written for a Christmas exchange with Genyys. :)

Jared gave a speech at the wedding. It wasn't as boisterous as Erlich's best man speech, and he didn't deliver it with the same awkward sincerity as Bighead. He'd practiced in front of the mirror. He spoke about his friendship with Richard and how happy he was that Richard had found someone so lovely. He said how wonderful it was to see them happy together now, the new bride and groom.

It was the most complicated lie he'd ever told. But even he didn't know that at the time.

~~~

Three years after the wedding Richard’s phone buzzed until it fell on the plush carpet of the hotel floor. Richard didn’t notice his wife trying to call because his dick was halfway inside Jared, pushing in very slowly as Richard did his best to hold back.

“There. Keep going,” Jared urged. It had been a long time for him. Over a decade. He didn’t ever remember it feeling so good.

~~~

The year before the wedding, Richard sent Jared a barely cogent text, asking to pick him up from the bar. Richard had been out with some of the new guys, while Jared had been back at the office.

“Thanks Jare,” said Richard as he lurched into the passenger seat. Jared wondered if he’d failed to get an Uber because nobody would let them into their car, or because he was too drunk to use the app in the first place. 

“Wanted to talk to you,” Richard explained while they drove towards home. “You’re gay, right?”

“Um...” Jared had never told him that. They’d never talked about it at all. “I’ve been with men before so, I guess. Somewhat.” This was highly inappropriate of course, but he didn’t mind. He was flattered, in a way, that Richard showed enough interest to ask.

“Yeah. I figured. So I wanted to ask you. What’s that like? Being with a guy.”

Jared shrugged. “I think it depends on the guy.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Jared was relieved that he didn’t pursue that line of questioning any further. He didn’t want to talk about how horrible it could be.

“I wanted to ask. Because sometimes, you know, I think I might be a little gay.”

“Mm hm?”

 “Yeah. But I ah, you know, haven’t ever done anything. With a guy. I think about it sometimes. But I don’t think I ever will.”

Jared nodded, trying to keep his eyes on the road. He wished Richard would stop, at least long enough for them to get home. He wanted to listen to Richard properly, wanted to talk to him about it, but not like this.

“I don’t think I will. Especially now.”

Jared could see a goofy smile spreading on Richard’s face.

“I met a girl. She’s really something, Jared. She codes like a demon. And I think she likes me.”

~~~

Jared watched Richard very carefully. He was an expert Richard watcher. He watched Richard's marriage ebb and flow over the years, usually with the tide of Pied Piper's fortunes. He knew when Richard was pulling away and when he was reaching out. He was Richard's confidante. Closest friend really.

Tonight, something was wrong between Richard and his spouse. Richard wouldn’t talk about it, and that’s how Jared knew it was serious.

They had flown to Boston for a series of meetings, each more stressful than the last. Those were over now and Richard was tired. He didn't seem to be looking forward to going home.

Jared watched Richard watching him, with an interest that had waxed and waned over the years but had never truly gone away. It had taken a long time for Jared to figure out that Richard was attracted to him. It'd taken even longer to put it together that he was attracted to Richard. Desperately so. With an intensity that had affected every decision he'd made since they first met.

He hadn't known. His entire adult life, he'd never been... drawn to someone else, the way people were normally drawn to each other. He had almost come to peace with the idea that he might never be drawn to anyone, that that part of life would pass him by. It seemed like such a lonely prospect, but he thought that he could bear it. If he had to.

He didn't think he'd ever want someone, didn't think he'd ever have someone. But he wanted Richard. And tonight, Richard wanted him.

"Flights will be delayed in this weather," Jared said, looking at the snow coming down. "Maybe we should get a hotel."

~~~

One day Jared was facilitating a yoga and lunch session on the green space near the office. He poured himself a cucumber water and waited while a few people lingered in shavasana. Once they were all eating their lunches he’d been instructed to give them another ‘rah-rah’ speech (as he called them in his mind).

After working for Pied Piper, he had thought that getting into this kind of corporate team-building would be harder, but it wasn’t really. He used to be quite good at it. It only took a little effort to be good at it again. He used to hate it more, but a lot had changed. 

Richard came walking down the path through the green. A baby in a carrier slept against his chest.

Jared finished his cucumber water. Richard saw him, looked away, and kept on walking. They didn’t speak. They hadn’t spoken in years.

Jared made a mental note not to use this green space again. They shared it with too many rivals.

~~~

The morning after, Jared watched Richard grow ill with regret. He couldn’t even look at Jared. He would glance over and look away. “I can’t – I mean I shouldn’t have... I don’t know why I did that. Now I don’t – I don’t know what to do.”

Jared laid his hand on Richard’s shoulder, steady and calm, until Richard could focus again. “You’re going to go home. Tell her. You love each other, and I think you’ll work it out.”

Eyes closed, Richard nodded, absorbing this, calming himself. When Richard opened his eyes Jared could see that he knew Jared was right.

“Are flights up again yet?”

Jared tensed. “Yes. They were never grounded.”

“They weren’t – I thought you said...”

“I um...” Jared cleared his throat. “I said that our flights were delayed, and I thought we should stay the night.”

“How long were they delayed?”

“About an hour.”

“About an hour,” Richard repeated dimly. His brow furrowed.

Jared looked away. He could feel something, some kind of tension building. He could hear an edge creeping into Richard’s voice.

“Did you know this was going to happen? Did you... _plan_ this?” Richard’s incredulity was plain.

“I didn’t know it would happen. But I suspected it might,” said Jared. He didn’t say ‘ _I hoped it would_ ,’ but the inference hung in the air. Richard had been so lonely lately. So hungry, even Jared could tell.

“Then _why_ did you...? No, don’t answer that. Stupid question.”

Jared saw a spark of anger in Richard’s eyes.

“How badly did you want this?”

Jared swallowed hard. He couldn’t answer. Nothing he could say could describe how badly he’d wanted this, and for how long.

“Was it worth it?” Richard asked, his eyes narrowing. His fists clenched and unclenched at his side and Jared suddenly knew that he would never get the chance to submit the carefully worded resignation he’d been composing. Richard was likely going to fire him on the spot.

“Yes,” said Jared. He thought about his job and the life that he’d built. “Maybe,” he hedged. Looking into Richard’s face, Jared could tell that he was well and truly furious now, and he thought about the friendship he would never recover. “Probably not,” Jared concluded. 

~~~

One day Richard knocked on his door.

Jared was so surprised to see him that he had no idea what to say.

“Hi Jared,” Richard said with an awkward wave. He was thin and unkempt, nervously jittering in his beard scruff and sweat-stained clothes. Jared wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and give him a hug. He wanted to drag him inside ride him hard on the floor of his apartment. He wanted to close the door in his face because looking at him was like rubbing glass shards into his skin.

“Hi Richard,” Jared said.

They both found other things to look at while the awkward silence reached a crescendo.

“How are you?” Jared finally thought to ask.

“I’m okay,” Richard said. “I’m... actually not okay. But you know. I’m okay.” He bobbed his head nervously. “I’m getting divorced. Soon. We’re already separated. This is the first weekend where I don’t have custody and I guess I’m just a little – you know – at loose ends or something.”

“Oh.” Jared said. Once again, he had no idea what to say. “I’m sorry,” he managed to get out. That was usually a safe bet.

Richard shook his head. “Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault. Even after -“ he looked away and cleared his throat. “We just... we just weren’t working.”

Richard’s voice sounded thin and hollow when he said it. Jared knew how much pain could be hiding behind a simple euphemism.

“I know this might seem like a really desperate come-on. It’s not. I don’t – I just – it’s really just not.” Richard shook his head again. “I’ve just been thinking. You know, lately. And I think I owe you an apology. I was such a shithead to you. You know? I _fired_ you. For something _I_ did. I blamed you for something _I_ felt. I was such an asshole, and I’m so tired of being such a goddamn asshole.” He squeezed his eyes closed and stuffed his fists in his pockets. “So even though I can probably never make it up to you, I wanted to say I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

Jared nodded. “Okay.”

He wondered how long it had been since Richard had slept, or eaten. Even though Richard swore this wasn’t a come-on, he was clearly reaching out. It seemed to Jared that what Richard desperately needed was a friend – just a friend. Erlich, Bighead, all the other guys, he’d fallen out with one by one.

Jared thought very carefully about whether he could do this. He thought about all the feelings he’d have to put aside. He thought about whether he wanted to.

“Richard. Just to be clear, I have no interest in being part of a so-called ‘rebound relationship,’” he put the phrase in air quotes. “But if you want, we could go get some coffee, or maybe some fresh juice. We could talk. If you want. Looks like you could use someone to talk to.”

Richard nodded, relief wiping the tension lines from his face. “Yeah. That’d be good. Thank you.”

~~~

After the tenth bedtime story, Jared finally got the kid to sleep. He was so much better at it then Richard was. He had more patience – more practice at it, he supposed.

Richard was doing better now, settled into his new place. The legal wrangling was finally over with, and a firm custody agreement in place. Jared had helped him unpack, helped hang a few pictures, helped hire a part-time housekeeper and nanny. He had some routine in his life now, and Jared was pleased to be part of it.

Jared’s therapist had advised on a strategy of partial withdrawal, now that Richard was back on his feet. Jared agreed. He knew he had a bad habit of hovering, of becoming over-involved and over-invested.

He would always be there for Richard – he would always be a good friend to him. But maybe it was time for him to get out there and live a wider life. Meet new people, maybe even start dating. He felt better now, healed somehow. He hadn’t even known how badly he’d been broken. 

He was going to be fine. Richard would be fine too. He was almost ready. He let himself linger just a little longer.

Tonight they had been planning to watch a movie, but it was too late now. They both had work in the morning.

“I should probably get home,” Jared said.

Richard bobbed his head and fidgeted. “Yeah, sure,” he said. “Or you could stay. Just – stay.”

Jared wasn’t sure if Richard meant what he thought he meant, until Richard took his hand.

“Do you still love me?” Richard asked.

Jared almost laughed. He’d never told Richard that, but he supposed now it must have been pretty obvious.

“Of course. Always”

“Then stay.”

Jared thought about it.

“Okay,” he finally said.

Then Jared did something he felt he should have done a long time ago – a million years ago – on the day they first met. He put a hand very gently on the side of Richard’s face and kissed him.  


End file.
